How do the images of travel in part 46 of "Song of Myself" contribute to the poem’s theme?

In section 46 of "Song of Myself," Walt Whitman provides extensive travel imagery: "I tramp a perpetual journey" (1202), Whitman says. "My signs are a rain-proof coat, good shoes, and a staff cut from the woods" (1203). In general, the travel imagery in this section supports one of the poem's most important themes: the idea of the expansive, untamed individual/self.

In section 24, Whitman declares himself to be "a kosmos" (497). Furthermore, in the poem's final section, Whitman claims "I too am not a bit tamed, I too am translatable" (1332). Both of these ideas point to Whitman's conception of self, which argues that identity is as broad as the universe and as wild as the American frontier. In essence, Whitman proposes a conception of individuality that hinges upon multiplicity, freedom, and expansive diversity.

The travel imagery in section 46 supports this notion in a couple of ways. First, by presenting himself as a "perpetual" wanderer, Whitman adds further support to the idea that his individuality is untamed, raw, unpredictable, and authentic. Furthermore, the process of traveling, of wandering the "landscapes of continents and the public road" (1209) implicitly requires one to be exposed to a wide diversity of life and experience. This process is crucial for Whitman, as his conception of self relies upon vast expanses of diversity to function. As such, it's clear that the idea of travel, of rejecting stable "society" and setting out for interesting new places, is an integral part of Whitman's expansive, democratic, and wild conception of self, and so the travel imagery in section 46 becomes a vital contributor to one of the poem's most important themes.